Yeah, that's a real shame. It's going to be hard to nail down that bye. Even Houston barely pulled out a win with the Redskins hitting the horizontal part of the goal posts at the buzzer.
We do have a game against the Steelers - hopefully we will have won all other games up to that point.
Yeah it's unfortunate because it's not just that this Patriots team isn't as talented as previous years... it's also that I feel the AFC this year is so much more balanced than previous years. Like there are 4-5 AFC teams who IMO have a chance at making the SB compared to previous years where it felt like it was either NE and another team. I still think NE could reach the AFCCG but wouldn't be surprised if they were eliminated earlier, the AFC is just a lot better this season and we could have a super tough matchup real early this time around (maybe even a road game in the divisional round).
Houston right now are 7-3 and the 4 seed. NE holds the tiebreaker over them but yeah the margin for error for NE is now real thin.
Pittsburgh does have tough games left as they have a road game @Denver, they face LAC and NE at home, and a road game against the Saints in Week 16.
Still, that Week 15 game between PIT-NE is HUGE as I expect winner of that game is the #2 seed and loser is #3. If HOU had beaten us and held the tiebreaker then it would have been more likely NE actually ended up a 4 seed.
Either way I think IF KC wins tomorrow night, they lock up the #1 seed for good. Don't see them going worse than 14-2 if they win tomorrow night. If the Rams win, we still got a shot (as does PIT) but I think we'd have to win out and KC would still have to lose 1 more (since we hold the tiebreaker over them).
I think NE finishes the season 12-4. That 3 game stretch where they are at home for MIN, road for MIA then road for PIT will be a tough one. If they navigate that 2-1 and win their games against the Jets/Bills (3 games), they'll finish 12-4. Question will be, how does HOU and PIT finish. I think HOU finishes 11-5 but PIT could finish 11-4-1 probably. So yeah, like last year as well, that PIT-NE game is HUGE.